1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to keyboards for typewriters, computers, calculators, telephones, and other types of equipment which utilize a keyboard for the input of alphabetic, numeric, object-specific, or other data, which can be compacted for storage and expanded for use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
More particularly, the invention relates to a modular keyboard which can be utilized with a computer, electronic typewriter, calculator, telephone, or other device (herein, for purposes of brevity, collectively designated a "computer") which uses a keyboard to input alphabetic, numeric, object-specific, or other data (herein "data"), which can provide, for example, a 101-key keyboard with three separate alphanumeric, numeric, and cursor keyboards, which can be compacted for transport, and which can be expanded for use to permit the keyboard to take on a size and spacing corresponding to that found in a keyboard for a conventional full sized personal computer.
Computers are well-known among those familiar with the art, and do not require an extended discussion here. A computer is a device which includes "a central processing unit (CPU), consisting of control and arithmetic/logic sections that processes information (data); a main memory unit . . . in which the information is held while being processed; and devices that respectively feed information into the CPU (input) and provide the user with the results of the computation (output)". The Tormont Webster's Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1990 edition published by Tormont Publications Inc., 338 St. Antoine St. East, Montreal, Canada H2Y 1A3, page 363.
Since the CPU processes data, a CPU is, in effect, a data processor. A computer could, but is not required to have, several data processors, one of which is the CPU. Moreover, data processors would need some sort of power to operate; thus, computers would normally include a method of providing power to the data processors and other portions of the computer (e.g. batteries or an electric power line), and possibly a device that regulates the voltage supplied from power source. All of this is well known to those familiar with computers, and needs no extended discussion here.
The keyboard is primarily a data input means, although many computer keyboards also contain rudimentary data output means--e.g. l.e.d (light emitting diodes) indicating that a special key (e.g. the "Caps" key) has been pressed, and a buzzer providing cryptic warning. Other keyboards may contain additional devices, limited only by the fertile imagination of human ingenuity.
It would be perfectly possible to make a computer without a keyboard, utilizing, e.g. pens, stylus, or voice commands to input information and instructions to the processor. However, the invention described here relates only to computers which have or can have keyboards associated with them.
A keyboard contains a plurality of keys and the means of detecting which key or combination of keys have been pressed or activated, as is well known to those familiar with the art. See, e.g. patent application Ser. No. 07/939,066, which disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. The detection is transmitted, directly or indirectly, either immediately or after a pause, to a data processor (and indeed, may be transmitted to many data processors, directly or indirectly, either simultaneously or sequentially, with or without intermediate processing.) There are a variety of detection means available, as is well known to those familiar with the art, and it is not an object of this disclosure to describe all means by which keys can be activated. It is an object of this invention to describe a keyboard which will work with a wide variety of key activation and detection means, both those now known, and those which may be developed in the future. Examples of key activation and detection means using electronic circuits are described by Louis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,473 (1993), and Kishimoto, U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,704 (1983); See also, e.g. Margolin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,758 (1976), which claims an "electronic circuit" for the keyboard, but does not illustrate said circuit, presumably because such circuits are well known, and were even in 1976.
Activating a key of the keyboard of a computer can have the effect of inputting information to the computer (e.g. the next letter in this Patent Application should be a "b"), or of instructing the computer, either directly or indirectly, to process information in a certain way (e.g. print the contents of the screen; multiply the value inputted first by the value inputted second and display the product; load the word processor.)
A device need not be popularly known as a "computer" to come within the definition outlined above; thus, in the "Field of Invention", such devices are also called "typewriters . . . calculators, telephones . . . " and a "computer" may have more components than those listed above. Thus, a cellular phone typically has multiple input and output means, including, for instance, a keyboard, a means of converting between sound and electromagnetic signals, and, frequently, an LCD (liquid crystal display), together with one or more data processors, at least one of which frequently is of the type known as a "digital signal processor" or DSP. (In contrast, it would be possible to build a phone that does not fall into the definition of "computer" set out above; the sound-operated "tin-can" phone of our youth is an example.)
Many devices popularly known as "calculators" are really rudimentary computers. Indeed, Intel's 4004 computer chip, probably the first commercial integrated data processor or "computer on a chip", was originally designed to be placed in a calculator "Personal Digital Assistants", or PDAs, are a form of a computer, although many current PDAs lack integrated keyboards, largely because, until this invention, nobody knew how to build a compact, economical, reliable keyboard for PDAs on which the adult human hand could touch type. The current lack of wide-spread acceptance of PDAs in the marketplace can be placed, in the opinion of the undersigned, precisely because of the lack of a speedy, reliable input means, which this invention solves.
In conclusion, those familiar with the technology will understand what is meant by "computer" in this Application, notwithstanding that the popular nomenclature of a device may be phone, calculator, (electronic) typewriter, or something else. It is an object of this invention to describe a keyboard that will work with a variety of computers, or be a component of a wide variety of computers, both those which are currently known and those which are developed in the future.
Portable computers, calculators, typewriters, telephones, and the like are well known in the art. A principal disadvantage to such devices, portable computers in particular, is that the keyboard space on the equipment is restricted and does not permit either normal spacing between the key pads or the inclusion of the entire complement of 101 separate key pads found in the keyboard of a desk top computer. The general challenge has been known at least since the issuance of U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,758 to Margolin in 1976, who observed:
It is evident from a glance at any pocket calculator that the minimum size of such apparatus is determined by the keyboard and by the display arrangements, not by the electronics within the device. Of the two determining factors, the keyboard occupies, by far, the greater amount of surface space. PA1 All of these (small computers) suffer from the same problem. It is difficult to make them small enough to carry and still have an adequate keyboard. PA1 ". . . keyboard arrangement including a first array of keys operative selectively on a first electronic circuit, said keyboard arrangement being physically detachable into a plurality of portions each bearing a section of said array of keys", and with, PA1 "each of said portions being adapted to electronically interconnect with adjacent keyboard portions for selective operations on said first electronic circuit."
Notwithstanding the Margolin disclosure in 1976, and in spite of subsequent disclosures, there exists today, to the knowledge of the undersigned, no commercial keyboard on the market that has full-size keys and spacing, but which can be reasonably, economically, and reliably reduced in volume and footprint for storage and transport.
Computers can be built using one "chip", and even fairly powerful ones can be built today using only a few chips and small batteries as power supplies. Further, it does not take the eye of a wizard to predict that the power available in the desk top units of today will be available in the palmtop computers of tomorrow. However, palmtop computers of today, which do have such small dimensions, use small keys, based on small spacing, with the result that the normal adult human hand cannot easily touch type with such keyboards, for the reasons mentioned above. (Or the palmtops use input devices other than a keyboard--e.g. the pen--which creates problems of their own.)
Computer displays continue to improve, with Xerox having announced a computer display comparable in pixel spacing to the dot spacing of many current laser printers. Since paper back books are a commercial success, we can suppose that a display having a size comparable to a paper back book will find a commercial market, providing that the display also has a resolution (or picture quality) comparable to the printed page.
In other words, the only restraint in producing a fully-functional pocket-sized computer is the keyboard. This notion is supported by observations of noted authorities in the field. For instance, in the article, "THE NEXT PC YOU'LL BUY",in the Mar. 13, 1990 issue of PC MAGAZINE the authors concluded: "Keyboard. Unless you build an ultrawide portable such as IBM's P70, you can't provide a 101-key keyboard with three separate alphanumeric, numeric, and cursor keypads."
In the Apr., 1991, issue of California Lawyer, Martin L. Dean in "LAPTOP ROMANCE" observes: "The keyboard. Until the Great Manufacturer makes our hands smaller, I know that keyboards can't be made any smaller than they are now. You just can't make keys any smaller or closer together and still type efficiently."
In the BYTE Special Edition, Outlook 92, on page 28, the editors observe: "The major limit to how small portables can get is the need for a keyboard". On page 194 of the same edition, Michael Nadeau, in the article "Notebooks Coming of Age" observes: "A keyboard that is less than standard width--about 11 1/4 inches--requires reducing the size of the key caps, putting them closer together, changing the layout, or doing a combination of these. . . . But on some applications, this arrangement is awkward, at best, and vendors seem to be listening."
Finally, in the August, 1993 issue of Byte Magazine, the widely-respected computer commentator (and science fiction author), Dr. Jerry Pournelle, observed:
The operative word is "adequate"; by adequate, Dr. Pournelle makes plain that he means a keyboard upon which a normal person can touch type.
A keyboard can be made quite small. For example, some wrist watch calculators contain numerous keys which can be operated only with a stylus or other pointed instrument. For speedy input of data, however, the user needs to be able to touch type. (Touch typing is sufficiently known to those familiar with keyboards that we need not make an extended discussion here. For a discussion on touch typing, see, e.g. Lahr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,005 (1987), although portions of the Lahr discussion may be incorrect in light of more recent research.)
The need for the user to be able to touch type imposes requirements on the keyboard. For purposes of this disclosure, I will focus on three: the size of the key tops or key pads, the center-to center spacing of the key pads ("key spacing"), and the layout of the keys on the keyboard.
The human hand and the standard keyboard layout conspire to define the size of the keyboard which can be used by a touch-typist. The standard keyboard consists of keys with key tops or key pads nominally 1/2 inch (0.50") square, placed nominally on 3/4 inch (0.75") centers.
The purpose of the key pad size and shape is provide to the user a secure feeling and tactile feedback that the finger is properly positioned on the key. Most computer key pads of today are square or rectangular when viewed from the top, while formerly typewriter key tops were shaped as circles or eclipses. The best keyboards have key pads that are depressed in the middle, to provide a trough in which the finger rests, and which alerts the typist through tactile feedback when the finger is positioned incorrectly.
In general, computer keys on which the user can touch type vary in width from 0.4 inch (my telephone) to 7/16 inch (0.4375") (an Apple IIGS) to 1/2 inch (0.50") (most IBM and Macintosh computers). For rectangular or elliptical-shaped key pads, the length of the key cap will normally be the same or slightly larger than the width (e.g. up to 0.6 inch for most current desk top computer units.)
While key pad size is important, key spacing is more important, largely because of the need of the touch-typist to rest his or her fingers on the "home row" keys. If the industry standard key spacing of 3/4 inch (0.75") between centers of keys is substantially reduced, the average typist can no longer place all of his or her fingers simultaneously on the home-row keys, because the fingers of the average adult human hand will simply not fit. Thus, the average touch typist could more easily type on a keyboard with keys 0.4" square, which is approximately 0.1" less than the industry standard, providing that the key spacing was approximately 0.75" than could the typist use a keyboard having an optimum key top size with a key spacing of 0.65" (which is 0.1" less than the industry standard). Further, the typical adult cannot touch type on a keyboard with key spacing substantially smaller than 0.65", and has difficulties even with spacing that small.
A third requirement imposed on a keyboard used for touch typing involves keyboard layout. For reasons that are well known to those familiar with keyboards, keyboards have keys positioned at certain locations. In considering keyboard layout, we are concerned with both the typing efficiency afforded by certain keyboard layouts and the difficulty that touch typists have in switching between different keyboard configurations.
We may assume that keyboards basically unconstrained as to size (e.g. keyboards used with desk top units) have a key layout more convenient to use than keyboards constrained in size (e.g. most laptop units). In other words, a typist presumably can produce finished work more quickly and reliably on the 101 key unit that comes standard with the IBM desk-top unit than with the 74 to 85 key keyboard found on many laptops. If the converse were true, market forces would drive desk top units to the smaller key count configurations.
For various reasons largely having to do with the almost subconscious process of touch typing, it is profoundly difficult for a touch typing to move from a keyboard having one layout to a keyboard having a substantially different layout. Indeed, the change of even one key position (e.g. the "backslash" key used to invoke certain MSDOS commands) can break the concentration of the typist.
In summary, it is beneficial for a portable computer to have a key layout that is as close as possible to the industry standard for a desk top unit.
This is not to say that every keyboard layout should be identical. The optimum key layout may vary, depending upon such factors as the operating system or software used, the task requirements, and the training of the operator. Thus, some operators may find the Dvorak keyboard layout more attractive than the QWERTY keyboard layout; a Japanese typist using Kanji would use a key layout foreign to that of a U.S. typist; and the user of a mainframe computer may use a keyboard with more keys than a typical Apple IIe user. The gist of the discussion above is that, (1) for any one operator and application, there is probably one key layout that is optimum when the layout is not constrained by keyboard size, and (2) it is profoundly difficult for the average touch typist to switch back and forth between differing keyboard configurations.
Currently, the industry uses several tactics to attempt to circumvent this problem of reducing keyboard size, none of which is totally satisfactory. A typical laptop computer as of the date of this application is approximately 11 inches in its longest dimension. The cursor and numeric keypads are placed in a location different from those of the standard office keyboard (this is called a "non-standard layout"), and frequently require "toggle switches", in which an auxiliary key must be pressed before or in conjunction with another key to produce the desired result. For reasons discussed above, the non-standard keyboards of portable computers are more clumsy to use than a standard keyboard, with the result that the touch-typist looses speed and accuracy in using such a non-standard keyboard.
While a standard 101 key keyboard would be preferable to an 84 key keyboard of the current laptops (for an "IBM-PC compatible" type of computer), there are occasions when the advantages of a standard keyboard layout are outweighed by the advantages of obtaining a keyboard of minimum size for transportation. In other words, we may choose to accept the compromises inherent in, say, an 84 key laptop keyboard, providing we can obtain a compacted or storage size of, for example, 7 inches in its longest dimension, a size fully realizable in a computer today but for current keyboard limitations, as was discussed at the beginning of this Application.
In summary, it would be highly desirable to provide a keyboard which would, for transit or storage, occupy an area smaller than that of a conventional full sized keyboard, and which would, in use, be expandable to provide a 101-key keyboard with inter-key spacings corresponding to key spacings found on keyboards for full sized PC's. Alternatively, it would be highly desirable to provide small computers with a keyboard that would permit conventional touch-typing, such as is that found on the 84 key laptop keyboard of today, but having a largest dimension during transport substantially smaller than the current crop of laptops.
Roylance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,798, suggests that there are four groups or categories of computer keyboards that could arguably be described as compactable keyboards, 3 categories from prior art plus his own disclosure, but basically concludes that only the folding or stacked keyboard (disclosed by Margolin, supra.) and his own disclosure constitute true compactable keyboards. This disclosure relates to an improvement on the Margolin class of compactible keyboards.
Margolin describes a keyboard which is split into two or more sections, the sections then being folded or stacked on themselves for storage or transportation. While the Margolin keyboard will reduce the footprint of the keyboard during storage or transport (which may be valuable in its own right), it will not reduce the volume of the keyboard, as was observed by Roylance in his application. In other words, the stacked height of the keyboard as described by Margolin is essentially twice as thick as each section in a two-section Margolin class of keyboard, three times as thick in a three-section keyboard, etc.
In contrast, Roylance describes a keyboard in which the spacing between the keys is altered by the user, thus creating a compacted keyboard for storage by reducing the key spacing, and creating a "full-size" keyboard by increasing the spacing for operation of the keyboard. Because the approach adopted by Roylance is, by his own admission, different from that of the Margolin class of keyboards, we need not consider further the Roylance disclosure.
A purpose of this disclosure is to overcome the limitations of the Margolin keyboard. In other words, this application will describe a keyboard which is split into two or more sections, but which provides means of storing the sections in such a fashion that the total volume of the keyboard when stored is substantially less than that of the keyboard when in its operative configuration. By way of example, a two-section keyboard using this disclosure will not be twice as thick when stored as the thickness of the keyboard when in its operating configuration.
This disclosure is not limited to keyboards that are assembled for use into one substantially contiguous unit. Indeed, Margolin's first claim is one for a:
In other words, Margolin claims a keyboard that can be split into two or more sections (portions), and the sections can be "electronically interconnect {ed} with adjacent keyboard portions".
To assure that there is no ambiguity, the "first electronic circuit" mentioned in Margolin constitutes the electronic circuit of the entire keyboard; the "array of keys" constitutes all of the keys of the keyboard; "physically detachable" means that a keyboard contains more than one section (or "portion"), and the sections (or "portions") can be physically separated from one other; the "plurality of portions" means that the sections {portions} can be separated from one another (without any description of structure which would constrain or limit that separation); the "electronically interconnected with adjacent keyboard portions" means that adjacent keyboard sections or portions are electronically interconnected, that is, the sections or portions are either connected together, or are connected, directly or indirectly, to a common element, and the connection is electronic, that is, involves an electric circuit.
Other patents have been issued for split keyboards in which the two sections would be positioned for operation in other than one substantially contiguous unit; see, e.g. Lahr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,005, and Ryan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,873.
This is not the proper venue for determining what is or is not covered by various patents for the positioning of the keyboard sections for operation in other than an essentially contiguous unit. I make no claims of innovation, positive or negative, for positioning of the keyboard sections for use. My claims involve an improvement for compacting a wide variety of keyboard configurations, whether such keyboards are patented or unpatented in their configuration for operation, and whether the precise keyboard configuration is currently known or which may be developed in the future.